Russian Fan Throws Banana in Racist Gesture at Champions League Match

A fan threw a banana onto the field in an
apparent racist gesture at the Rostov-on-Don football stadium in
southern Russia, international media reported.

FC
Rostov will likely face disciplinary action from UEFA after the fan's
racist display during the Champions League game against Dutch side
PSV Eindhoven, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

Footage
of the match showed a banana being thrown onto the pitch eight
minutes into the 2-2 draw at Rostov’s home stadium on Wednesday
evening.

Honorary
President of the Russian Football Union Vyacheslav Koloskov told the
R-Sport news website that the incident could damage the country’s
reputation as it prepares to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with
matches set to be played at the Rostov-on-Don stadium.

“This
banana could cost us heavily,” he said, stressing that such
incidents were “unacceptable at any moment but especially not now.”

The
perpetrator needed to be found and punished, he said, adding that
Rostov could be forced to play a match without spectators.

Russia
has a history of unsavory incidents involving its football supporters
at both domestic and European matches, with current league champions
CSKA Moscow forced to play several recent home Champions League games
behind closed doors as punishment for a string of racist and violent
incidents involving its supporters.

Russian
hooligans were also involved in numerous violent clashes during the
European Football Championships in France in June.

On
Thursday, Russia’s Interior Ministry published a list of 54
football supporters, some as young as 19, it had banned from
attending sporting fixtures for between six months and two years.
Violating the ban would incur a fine of 20,000-25,000 rubles
($316-$396), or detention for up to 15 days, the ministry said.

From
Jan. 1, a new law will
require supporters to present their passport when purchasing tickets
and entering stadiums for sporting events in Russia.